Remains Found in Shallow Graves

Bailey, Miss. Lauderdale County Sheriff Billy Sollie says a person of interest is in custody in connection with the discovery of two shallow graves on Espey Road.

The sheriff's department located the graves after attempting to serve a search warrant Thursday morning.

Officials say at least two sets of skeletal remains were recovered.

The remains have not been positively identified, but Sheriff Sollie said the search warrant was for the home of Algene Grant.

"We had family members come in to our office earlier this week to report Akita Sims Washington as missing. Said they had not seen her since May of this year. She had a history of being gone for an extended period of time and coming back home. Also we had information that a Algene Grant who lived at 7643-A Espey Road, who is a registered sex offender, had not registered since June of this year," Sollie said.

Meanwhile, neighbors told Newscenter 11 they knew one of the apparent victims very well. They say Algene Grant lived here for many years.

"This is a very quiet road. Nothing ever happens on our road," said resident Kimberly Rushing. "So just out of curiosity, we came up here, and shock."

"I have a lot of confidence in Sheriff Sollie and the sheriff's department, and I'm confident they'll get to the bottom of it," said resident Bobby House.

Neighbors say they have not seen Grant since late spring.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation's mobile crime unit is assisting the sheriff's department in the investigation.

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